Sifting through nonsense

While going through countless (well, over 5,000) text files of things I have written, found interesting, quoted, etc (I go through a chunk of the older stuff every once in a while) I came across this. It seems relevant to my post from yesterday. I am not sure if I wrote this, or if I found it somewhere, it had quotes around it. I googled it and found nothing, so I will take 1/2 credit, and if you find it elsewhere, let me know and I will concede all credit. The date was 8/24/2005 and the time was 12:32 AM on the file. (my personal archive goes back to 1993)

"In animal life, animals that travel in herds do so to save themselves with numbers. The animals that stray are easy targets for predators. With humanity, the consequences of straying from the crowd are worse, as instead of being killed and eaten by predators of a different species, they are cannibalized"

Later

~Nic

Freedom: Not just a feel-good refrain

It's supposed to be the thing that brings us together, as Americans.. the undying desire to find yourself free to say whatever you want, and the sometimes more poignant calling to stand up for things that you might happen to not like, not agree with or even hate. In my life, I've strived to support (whether in action, or just in thought) and stand behind the right for people to do, say and think things things I may not agree with.

It's been a terrible struggle from time to time.. one of my harder personal struggles was to come to terms with the implications of this; when I first learned of F. Phelps and his church. I abhor everything that is stood for by him, however in a fierce internal debate (Should I agree with those who want to ban him from his protests?), I decided that I fully support his right to protest the funerals of homosexuals. Not because it's the right thing to do, not because I think if we just leave him quietly alone he will go away, but because.. this is America, and freedom doesn't just mean freedom for things you agree with.

This fundamental, and admittedly difficult endeavor -- to support, above all, freedom of speech/religion/press -- should be embraced by everyone. There will be times in your life where you may be marginalized, but this freedom protects you. It protects you from the mob of fools who want to kill you because of, maybe even just an idea. Freedom isn't just about protecting the 99%, it's also about protecting the 1% from the 99%. You may note that this isn't really a democracy, it's a representative republic. And thank GOD.

That said, I entirely support the "ground zero" mosque. There are other reasons besides the above; most importantly, just as Christians are not, in general, murderers, nor are Muslims, in general, terrorists (or even responsible for 9/11). Should we bar Catholics from building a church within some arbitrary number of blocks near the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building?

As a bit of a side note, I find it interesting that a whole bunch of people on faux news don't "agree with Obama" supporting the right of the outfit to build thier mosque at "Ground Zero". Thier reason? "No, this is about sensitivity, not religion 82% (181,955 votes) "
-- About sensitivity? Are they coming around then? Does that mean they now understand why a good chunk of the country (and specifically African Americans) is offended by the Confederate Flag? You don't have to be politically correct, but it's a good idea to generally not be a fucking asshole to people you don't know, eh?

Cheers.

~Nic

Can a rock make a GOD that cannot lift it?

There's been an awful lot of weird shit going on since I last checked in here.. The economy hasn't fallen completely to shit again (This is a good thing in general, but was against what I had predicted, and therefore sucks), the oil leak has been... capped? ..somewhat, with some leaks still going? Huh?, the tea party looks to be having a schism (which is neither good or bad news for anyone really, it's just what I would consider typical of a non-homogeneous group of bat-shit crazy angry psuedo-libertarians... They remind me of hippies, but hippies that turned into hippie zombies) and I still don't know if I own another duplex.

Note to self; TAB in the blogger editor doesn't mean over 5 spaces.. Maybe you noticed this post get posted with just that first paragraph. Sorry...

So the economy; The whole damn thing is stale. Job numbers up, job numbers down. The banking/wall street reform bill passed. From what I've read, it's a good thing. I've tried to sit down and read the actual bill, but my attention span is short in the summer. At least I can say that the arguments coming from talking heads against it are ridiculous: "If we regulate the banks, they'll just leave the US". I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard something like this... if we [do something sensible] then [whiny bitch asshole profiteer] will leave the country. We know that arguments like this are generally wrong, but every once in a while (determined by common sense) are accurate. In this case, it's fucking flat out bunk. What half-baked, dipshit bank would leave the only country in the entire world who has based its entire value, both future and present, on credit? Basic common sense says to me that: "I'd rather make less money and run my business, than stop running my business and make no money at all".

BUT What if they're right? What if all the banks, and bankers pack their shit up and leave? Heh, I hate to tell a preacher about religion, but... SOMEONE ELSE WILL FILL THE VOID! This is the same logic that allows some shit head business leaders to pay no mind to their employees well being: "If they don't like it, they can go fuck themselves. Plenty of people are available to work for me". But apparently this philosophy (Which is true as it pertains to employees, however highly unethical and flat out assholery) only applies to what these shitclowns want it to (*puke*). The "Job market", and market will fill the gap. (The quotes are there for a reason, but it's a long discussion. Google: Monopsony labor market).

So - The banks won't leave, lending will continue to exist. Profits will still be made; and at the same time, we've made some positive change to the playing field. I do think it's bogus that FDIC money is going to be basically the only thing to pay for this. Investment bankers, as I understand it, pay nothing to the FDIC, so basically deposit banks will be footing the bill. I guess TCF should have hired better lobbyists. (DISCLAIMER: This FDIC money comment is coming from a crude and preliminary understanding of the legislation, and is subject to change. )

For a good laugh check this out:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/07/18/tea.party.imbroglio/index.html?hpt=Sbin

I understand the blog post was "satire". What I don't understand is the satire.. This seems to be on both sides of the same opposite. Did that make sense? Well, if that statement made no sense to you, you're probably going to have a helluva time dealing with that bizarre Tea Party "satire". It's about as coherent as any drunken writing I've ever seen. I am sure this will not end the TP (heh), or quiet it down, or anything like that. Hell, I like having the TP around... it reminds me that I have a clearer understanding of the original event than a good chunk of the college educated baby boomer generation. (Re: Tea Party demographics).

My own corrosive half-hearted anger aside, the political climate is quite caustic at this moment in time. We've all been pitted against each other for no damn good reason. Speaking of reason, it seems to be largely absent as of late. I mean really .. fucking really, do these people really think that the sole purpose for Obama to run for president was so he could destroy the country and turn it into the USSR or something? Maybe life would be a lot easier for me if I started to ignore the gray, and see the world as completely black and white. Good and evil, Christian saved and Muslim terrorist, Taxes and Freedom. Conservative and Liberal. Bah; I still cringe when I remember how the Democrats/Liberals thought that George Bush was absolutely intent on destroying the country. His mission was to destroy freedom, and take the whole fucking world down with it. Get a grip people, get a grip. Polarization sells. Anger sells. I suppose I am a bit of a hypocrite since I'm clearly upset about a lot of shit, but for the record I'm upset about ridiculous claims, not differing views.

~Nic

Facebook, the econ and everything

I think those two words work well in place of "Life, the Universe", at least lately. I'm in the process of disassociating myself from Facebook (psuedo life), at least with my one of two accounts that I use for any personal purposes. I've taken some shit for deciding to, for the most part leave facebook behind. I struggled with it for a while; it was the source of lots of good discussion, and gave me a glimpse into how other people think (via pushing people to explain themselves). I don't, never did, and never will rely on facebook as a way to "find" people I've lost touch with. If I've lost touch with someone I probably did it for a good fucking reason (or the other party did). In the end, all FB really did for me was remind me why I don't talk to a lot of my old highschool friends. I gained nothing substantial besides a slightly better understanding of things.. I suppose things I could have gained by reading blogs, books, newspapers and Limbaugh's site.

So anyhow, I debated, internally, for quite a while whether or not to be done with it. The latest security breeches, disregard for privacy, the global "Like" issue (which has an end to render search engines obsolete.. if that happens, the actual democracy of the web is in jeopardy. Don't take my word for it, think it through. FB, if this catches on, could very well hold a monopoly on content aggregation), and the CEO's clearly adolescent attitude towards running a business.

Don't agree with me? Have some kind of layperson idea that "every other website has your personal data" (Holy shit, I hear this one the most)? Specifically, a good friend of mine brings up google searches. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't remember having to tell google information such as who my relatives are, what content on websites I actually do like (a web-hit is NOT the same as liking something.. it's a passive piece of information as far as google is concerned. "liking" something on FB kind of implies that you.. actually... like what you're reading. Far more valuable, and far more intrusive.) This is all magnified by the fact that, if you read the fine print, FB can do whateverthefuck it wants with this information. A bigger point that should NOT be missed, is that for google to share any information it has collected about you, you have to OPT-IN. The default is: deny, allow. The fb default is allow,allow.

Then again, I've only been playing the www game since 1994 (Anyone else remember downloading Netscape from a BBS? People on Fidonet went apeshit.. I had to get it!). My first actual internet experience was in 1991.. IRC and gopher. My BBS experience goes a few years earlier yet (though I was a latecomer to that). I hate to play the seniority card, but... look I've been around since the fucking get-go. You don't have to agree with me, but at least my reasoning is on solid ground, based in a fuckload of experience. You can use whatever in the shit website you want. I really don't care what anyone does so long as I don't have to listen to it when I am in my fucking basement (car audio), or see it when I am in public (PDA infuriates me, but I am not sure why), or be otherwise receive substantially negative impact from it (stealing, murder,etc). So get off my fuckin' back.

That being said, econ: pseudo universe. I am pretty sure we're about to witness another shit storm. I can't be sure (and I sure as hell hope not), but I've got the same feeling I had when the very first sub prime defaults started to happen.. it was pretty quiet. I heard about it briefly on MPR on a lunch break. My mind recalled something I had read on the motley fool about how sub prime package investments were a risky but rewarding investment... "Everyone's doing it!" I remembered the dot-com bubble, and did some research.. I was convinced, just after it started, but before everyone went ape that this was it. And I've got that feeling once again, I can not explain you would not understand, wait... that's a song.. and you probably understand better than I do. You get my point. (I hope)

Overnight bank to bank rates are increasing. I am not an economist, but I am capable of putting one plus one together to get two.. so LIBOR is increasing... this is what happened when the credit crunch damn fucking near took the world economy out of existence (For reasons that have been explained to me, I think I understand, and couldn't really try to explain to anyone else. Www.justfuckinggoogleit.com)... it's a year plus ago now, so we've all forgotten (and all hate the bank bailouts), but for Christ's sake, we were looking over the edge of a very very deep chasm.. the insanely low fed rate (0% to fractional %) saved us. Along with the wall street bailouts. I read it, everywhere.. any economist that had any kind of credentials insisted that these things happen, lest we all lose .. well, everything (except the well off, they don't really lose shit in a recession.. or even a depression, at least proportionally.. it ends up funneling TO them), but anyway, I am rambling.

We've blown our wad here. The low rates are ensuring that the same shit heads we had to bail out are making money HAND OVER FUCKING FIST, and the rest of us are, best case, in the same position (interesting to note, we've been in the same position for, arguably, the last 30 years).. but it had to happen, really. (BUT NO, we can't REGULATE wall street. Assholes.). If you make the rate negative (as far as I know, unprecedented, politically, and perhaps economically suicidal) you're basically paying these big banks to take your money. How will we unfreeze the credit markets if LIBOR keeps going up, and euro banks can't afford to fund day to day operations? What happens with a massive run on the bank in the Euro zone? This bank to bank overnight rate caused the shitstorm that was festering to progress in 07-08, and it could very well do it again. Could we end up having to bail out Europe? It wouldn't happen.. but anyway, I am getting tired, and starting to forget my points.

The big point is: watch your ass, because if the shit hits the fan again, I don't think we've got any more stops to pull. I've got at LEAST 50 more paragraphs of rambling to do on this topic.. I'll be back.

FB Status

Since I am trashing my Facebook account, maybe more stuff will end up on my Blog in the coming weeks,months, etc. Here's some stuff I captured from statuses that I for one reason or another decided I didn't want to lose forever:

"We used to say put a million monkeys on a million typewriters and they will eventually produce the works of Shakespeare. With the rise of the internet, we now know this is not true."

"It feels like all the people that want limited government really just want government limited to republicans" -Jon Stewart

I support breast exams starting at birth. I feel that this is a safe stance for a male. F*ck statistics and rational thought. If we start that early, the math will have it that a positive diagnosis of breast cancer will have a 99% chance of being a false positive across all age groups. Now we're speaking in terms that make sense. (I should note that really, I'm neither for or against any particular arbitrary age for regular mammograms, being that I am not a doctor. However I do have an acute understanding of statistics, and understand why the new recommendation was made. I find it appalling that it's being used to further the nonsense about government rationing of health care.)

In case you miss this (because of the absurd length of our other discussion, and your limited personal time) I wanted to throw up this:

"*AS an aside, read the book Outliers, by Malcom Gladwell. Very interesting assessment of people making it solely on hard work (he points out how much MORE plays into it than that, very... enlightening) It's politically as neutral as they come, too, I'm not trying to push an ethos with it, just a great read*
I think you'll like that book." -Nick R.

"Good at chess usually means bad at life"

It would appear as though Health Insurance companies don't actually want customers.

If you're only looking for what you want to see.. you'll only see what you're looking for.

"Bush will be featured as the 'special guest speaker' at an October 26 "Get Motivated!" business seminar in Fort Worth, Texas, according to an announcement on the organization's Web site." -- I have no comment either way. I just wanted to make a Bush post where I wasn't hating him. See, I became heavily politically interested in the Bush years. I said some rotten shit, and called some rotten names. I didn't really realize how childish it was until it started happening to the dude I like. It's ok to hate policy, but the pure personal hatred and adolescent name calling is for the Limbaughs and Olbermanns, not for those of us... who [at least try to] think for ourselves (and are not interested in watching our beloved country fall to pieces). Though I am not perfect, and will surely say some rotten stuff in the future about politicians I disagree with, I must remind myself of my lesson. I can't run for anything; I would only ever do so if I could hire the best of the best non-partisan fact checkers and researchers to provide transparent reasons for decisions. Not only would it be possible that I would have to adopt positions that would be counter to a party platform (thus seem inconsistent and allow for easy attacks and risk flip... flopping), I wouldn't be able to afford said staffers. In the Republic, "Plato" has a bit to say about how politicians decide to run, and therefore can't be trusted. That's a simplification (of the passages).. but I see, at least, a little truth in it. I can't seem to find it with Google, but if you've read it, you know what I am talking about.
REPLY from C.M.: your already talking like a politician. Blah blah bullshit blah

Formula for Republican platform: For any issue: first find the common sense stance Next, find the absolute opposite of that stance adopt as platform stance.
REPLY from Nick R.: The problem with republicans that you point out is quite accurate, but I don't think it's as much of a strategy so much as a bunch of idiots who unify in direction but not in ideology. I think about 3 of them occasionally strike a true chord and then try and run with it, but most of them are too focused on anti-democrat to focus on a pro-[... See Moretraditional]republican priorities.
They need to trim the fat, unify the message in a protagonism approach vs antagnoism. The only fortunate thing for the rebumblicans in office is that the current democrat agenda is so categorically opposed to traditional republican values that it's really hard for them to miss the mark with their base (except you, Senator Snow, you are simply an idiot) If the democrats keep shoveling gold-bars in the form of policy points, the republicans will somehow keep unified in principle in spite of having no cohesive message among them.
Although (brace for the cheapshot) I'll take the lack of unity (and arguably intelligence) among them over the current democrat strategy.../racecard.
MY REPLY: I can't speak for the best interests of the republican party... I have a very clear conflict of interest in trying to do so. I can say that.. as I have aged, I have understood more and more the importance of a two party, fairly evenly divided system... it's a check-and-balance in its own right.

"[Pawlenty's] new three-pronged plan to reform the state-run health care system is anchored by a proposal to let Minnesotans purchase health insurance plans across state lines." WTF is the point of states rights if you throw them away? ARGGHG!

"I find the idea quite intolerable that an electron exposed to radiation should choose of its own free will, not only its moment to jump off, but also its direction. In that case, I would rather be a cobbler, or even an employee in a gaming house, than a physicist" -Einstein RE: Quantum entanglement

If we want peace on Earth, we're going to need the rapture to happen.

Nic's WTF of the month: "[It's] deplorable to deny coverage to victims of domestic violence. However, states should be responsible for regulating insurance markets." North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr 10/6/2009

"New Rule: If America can't get its act together, it must lose the bald eagle as our symbol and replace it with the YouTube video of the puppy that can't get up. As long as we're pathetic, we might as well act like it's cute." -Mahr

I spent the day at a Science/technology/engineering/math summit at school today, and the most important thing I learned today (indirectly) is that we as humans must fight against any technology capable of "reading thought". Research is making slow progress in this area..primitive now,but growing. This poses the singl...e most terrifying threat to freedom that could ever exist and needs to be rejected at any cost. 9/25/2009

Unicycle thieves are quite easy to spot... But I always wonder about the people driving "their" riding lawn mowers around......

"Who would ever have guessed that we would be looking back at the presidential campaign of 2008 as a time of relative tranquillity and good fellowship?"

Getting mad about Glenn Beck is like getting mad at a teenager for rebeling; It does no one any good, and pushes them to keep going.

"Nobody cares about the roof until there's water under it."

Back to the soap box: We're so anti-immigration.. "They don't deserve to be here". A logical look at this would raise the question "Why in fact do WE deserve to be here?" Why, of course because of the luck of the draw. Remember that at all times. I know very few people who earned their right to be here (including ...myself.. I didn't have to do anything but be born).. Happenstance.

"Both the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Budget Office are skeptical of the existence of defensive medicine and suggest that it is much more likely that the current fee-for-service structure of the health care system incentivizes the ordering of more tests by doctors."

The ideologue test: The next time someone tells you their big idea, or argues with you using pure rhetoric ask them: "What would it take to prove you wrong?" If the answer is "Nothing", you now know what your dealing with. Unfalsifiable claims are for religious texts, not civil discourse.

..out of sight out of mind.. it doesn't work for me. I make sure I read opinions of people I disagree with every day.. I always figured it was healthy to have an understanding of why you disagree with something, instead of just absorbing rhetoric and calling it gospel.

"Insurance companies need to make big profits so they can afford to give their employees health insurance"

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty: Speech could cause first-day "disruption" Anyone who's ever been to school knows that the first day, and sometimes days are filled with pencil sharpening, introductions, etc. Dickhead is just pissed that it's not political, and needs a reason to hate it.
CM Replies: you know where else leadrers of the country would speak directly to to child population.......RUSSIA. fuck communists ::
MY REPLY: Remember on Sept 11, 2001 when George W Bush was reading to kids in a classroom? What a communist. Craig, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. By that logic we shouldn't build roads, because the ruskies did.
CM REPLY: Very niave!!! Che Obama wanted to adress the entire student community of America, not to read to one classroom of children. This guy is gonna fuck up our country. WORK FOR WHAT YOU GET! I am in no way well off. I dont have health insurance. All that I have is a drive to succeed. Thats the American dream. Not this "provide for me because I cant do it for myself" bullshit. Obama IS a socialist. Look at what socialism has done for Germany. dont try that bullshit "Bush Bash" retoric on me!!!
MY REPLY: Craig; I am going to just ignore the "Obama bashing" (re: bush bashing), and to go with your logic again; then it would be OK to indoctrinate a classroom of students, but not the entire country? I don't feel like I should have to defend myself, but I work for what I get too.. I am putting myself through school, I own rental property that I bought with my own money, and I hold a full time job (the same one.. for 9 years..). You're assuming my positions for me.
CM REPLY: I assume nothing. Only state my beliefs and my position. I believe that Obama wants to "redistribute" (like he has said) the wealth of America. Now, who wrote a book on such a ideal? Hmmmm..... I believe that was Lennon(and I dont mean the Beatle).
...

"In general, someone who had to work hard to overcome many obstacles deserves more respect than someone to whom everything was given. By this measure, God does not deserve any respect: he never had to overcome any difficulties whatsoever; he woke up one morning, found himself to be all powerful and all knowing, and proceeded to create the universe and mankind." -A.B.

It would seem that republicans have taken the tactics of fringe progressive movements (like MoveOn, and Cindy Sheehan), and brought it up to a whole new level. And the progressive movements will surely in turn step it up the next time they are not in power. At this pace, the south will soon get their own country. ("they are not in power" should read "they don't feel fairly comfortable with who is in power", because Obama, and the current congress are by no means far left of center. Despite the propagandize that spews from the Drive-By republicans.) 11/5/2009

"It is incorrect to say that human scientists are starting to understand the cosmos: rather, the cosmos is becoming self-aware. " -A.B.

"It’d be helpful to have an opposition that could keep Democrats honest, and not ruin the country if they happened to win an election. Instead we have people in tinfoil hats, making up issues out of whole cloth and spreading confusion and lies. " Zompist

Things that annoy me

Here's a non-exhaustive list of things that annoy me. At times, I feel like I am the only one who is annoyed by a lack of common courtesy since every time I comment about these things, people jump on me for being jaded, but that's ok.

1. Subwoofers I can hear inside my house, especially after 10:00PM. This actually pushes me nearer insanity than anyone really wants to know.
2. People who listen to loud music -- music I can hear from at least 10 feet away -- in a GOD DAMN PUBLIC LIBRARY
3. Children who repetitively ride their bicycles through my yard. ESPECIALLY through NEWLY SEEDED LAWN, and through my garden, ESPECIALLY AFTER I have asked MORE THAN ONCE TO KNOCK IT THE FUCK OFF
4. People who stop in the middle of the road with their vehicles to chat, unload or otherwise. ESPECIALLY when they know that there is traffic behind them (it is astonishing, the frequency in which I have to deal with this in my neighborhood).
5. People who honk their horns more than a few times for longer than a few seconds to get the attention of someone in a house. Get off your lazy ass and knock on a door. Better yet, use the fucking cellphone that's glued to your ear.
6. People who go the wrong way down a one-way, who are talking on their phones while doing it (This one I encountered leaving the library full of loud fucking rap music. I got pretty nervous)
7. People talking on their cell phones in line at some kind of retail establishment, or similar. It can't fucking wait? Not even a minute? Jesus Christ, shut the fuck up.
8. People who are rude to cashiers.
9. Rude cashiers
10. People who stare at everyone for no good fucking reason -- another common occurrence in my neighborhood. This raises the question "Well, if you're not looking, how do you know they are?". I have good peripheral vision. I've recently started to wave and smile at these draggin' pants fools. They look away very quickly. I only use this method when I am at least 5 blocks from my home.

I am sure I will come up with more. Maybe I can do this in episodes or something.

~Nic

I have to chime in on this, even though I am on a political break

The healthcare thing is front and center, obviously. I have my opinions on it, but I am going to stay away from that, and attempt to keep this a short, simple, unbiased comment.

It was brought to my attention on Sunday evening, or Monday morning (I don't remember which) that persons of certain religious beliefs can opt-out of the entire schema. While I think this is a very good idea, and I understand why it is in the legislation, I seriously question the bit's constitutionality. I hear that the big argument against the legislation is about mandates, and whether or not that is constitutional. Although I am not (obviously) a constitutional scholar, I doubt that this argument will win in the Supreme Court (If it does, so be it). I think a better road would be to question the constitutionality of the religion thing. Let someone say this: "I hate the healthcare plan, and I want to opt out, but I can't because I am a , and my religion has no specific problem with medicine" (for instance, you're not Amish). I am not certain that the opt-out would stand up in the S.C.

That is all.

~Nic